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Horizon achieves desired behaviors and outcomes through a values-based, social recognition program.

By Debbie Bolla

Ask Marie Crea, director of HR for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, how she would describe the organization, and she would tell you that it’s employee-centric. The healthcare insurance provider is in the business of ensuring quality service for its members, and that level of service is literally in the hands of its employees. So when engagement scores fell a hair under benchmark level in 2013, Crea knew it was time for HR to step it upand roll out a modernized, socially-driven recognition program with the same name.

Employee recognition has been a part of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey’s core strategy during the entirety of Crea’s 12-year tenure at the company.

HRO Today’s Baker’s Dozen rankings are based solely on feedback from buyers of the rated services; the ratings are not based on the opinion of the HRO Today staff. We collect feedback annually through an online survey, which we distribute both directly to buyers through our own mailing lists and indirectly by sending service providers the link to send to their clients.

Once collected, response data are loaded into the HRO Today database for analysis to score each provider that has a statistically significant sample. For this survey, we required 10 responses from seven companies. We reached out to more than 30 providers of recognition programs.

In order to determine an overall ranking, we analyze results across three subcategories: features breadth, deal sizes, and quality. Using a predetermined algorithm that weighs questions and categories based on importance, we calculate scores in all three subcategories as well as an overall score.

Two tech innovators are changing the way HR can attract and reward top performers.

More than Just Rewards

By Marta Chmielowicz

Picture this: It’s 2030, and your company is struggling to grow, not because the services you provide are unnecessary, but because you simply cannot find the right employees to fill your most important positions. According to Rainer Strack of The Boston Consulting Group in a recent TED talk, this scenario may become a reality.

The workforce is aging, and by 2030, there won’t be enough workers to fill jobs and keep major economies growing, says Strack. Once the last of the baby boomers retire, there will be a major deficit in the global talent pool that may cause an overall labor shortage in many of the world’s largest economies and a huge skill mismatch that can’t be abated with technology.

Organizations need to adapt their approach to benefits to suit today’s changing demographics.

By Randy Stram

With the gig economy rapidly expanding, employers are focused on retaining and engaging employees. According to MetLife’s 15th annual U.S. Employee Benefit Trends Study (EBTS), more than half (51 percent) of employees today are interested in contract or freelance work. Not surprisingly, gig work appeals to millennials most, with nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of the generation interested, followed by Gen X (52 percent), and baby boomers (41 percent). Workers are drawn to freelance roles due to the flexible hours, the ability to work from home, and project variety. This is causing organizations to have a laser focus on retaining their talent—the top priority among employers, according to EBTS’ findings.In fact, 51 percent of respondents plan to leverage benefits as a retention strategy in the next three to five years.

Bringing a positive candidate experience to relocation assignments can be a key differentiator.

By Christa Elliott

Most HR professionals agree that creating an outstanding candidate experience—from recruitment through onboarding—is a great way to boost employee engagement and well-being. But relocated employees, whether they are new hires or transferees, will have a very different “candidate experience” due to the special circumstances of their employment and the careful planning that goes into a relocation. Done well, a relocation can illustrate that the organization is invested in the employee’s success and growth. But if the relocation assignment isn’t given special attention and care and becomes stressful for the employee, it can work against the organization.

A 2017 study by CareerArc found that 99 percent of employers believe that managing employer brand and reputation (including through candidate experience) is important to attracting top talent.

Some organizations are moving toward total talent management. What are the advantages and challenges?

By The Editors

When it comes to implementing effective workforce solutions, some organizations are following the philosophy of “consolidate, consolidate, consolidate.” This may be driven by the growing number of worker classifications in the market today, as organizations want to attract both full-time and contingent high performers while remaining compliant. A total talent approach may be the answer.

Randstad Sourceright’s President of RPO North America Dan Oakes reports that 49 percent of C-suite leaders consider integrated talent as a way to build for the future. Technology will play a role in this workforce transformation. According to Oakes:

• 52 percent of HR professionals say that the digitization of HR has benefitted their company.

• 17 percent say that the digitization of HR has been the primary factor in bringing about HR transformation.

More economic growth is projected, but how do global unemployment rates fare now?

By The Editors

To explore international labor markets, companies must first consult global labor market data. PeopleScout, a global provider of RPO, MSP, and total workforce solutions, has partnered with HRO Today to produce quarterly reports that compile current international labor market figures, including measures such as national gross domestic product (GDP) and unemployment rates over time, from countries across the globe. This data reveals critical information about the state of the talent pool, working conditions, and recruitment needs of various countries and regions. It is an essential tool for predicting fruitful locations for expansion and recruitment, allowing multinational companies to stay competitive in talent acquisition.

In 2017, global economic growth is projected to accelerate moderately by 2.

Time to hire has always been a key metric in assessing how well talent organizations are meeting their hiring targets. It’s also important to business stakeholders who depend on high performers to keep their departments productive. But Glassdoor Economic Research shows average hiring times in the U.S. actually increased from 12.6 days to 22.9 days between 2010 and 2014. The bottom line is: The longer an organization waits, the less likely it is to land the dream candidate.

There are a number of factors at play here, but interviews are among the main drivers. How many rounds of interviews do candidates need to endure before receiving an offer? Over-engineered interview processes are killing modern hiring practices, and it’s time for a change.

A recent study by MRI Network shows the average candidate attends between three and four interviews.

Carefully planning the candidate experience—from recruitment through onboarding—can lead to better hires and higher retention.

By Darren Findley and Tom Brennan

Talent acquisition professionals are paying more and more attention to the candidate experience, and for good reason. Findings from Engage2Excel’s new research report 2017 Trendicators underscore the importance of a positive candidate experience in a highly competitive market and suggest that a single, generic approach will not do the trick.

Savvy recruiters have incorporated marketing into their efforts, and conveying a compelling employment value proposition to the right audience requires a deep understanding of that audience. Organizations that shape the candidate experience from research-based demographic information will have an edge in the war for talent.

A good place to start in creating positive candidate experiences is with the right combination of social and face-to-face engagement.